Belgian DIPA | Hardywood Park Craft Brewery

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Notes / Commercial Description:
They say some of the best inventions were created by mistake. That was certainly the case with Hardywood Belgian DIPA. Originally intended as the base beer for Hoplar, our wood aged American-style double IPA, this beer was fermented with the Belgian abbey-style ale yeast we use with Hardywood Singel. The resulting beer offers the assertive hoppy bitterness of Hoplar with the fruity, spicy character of Singel. An accident, yes, but a delicious one, indeed!

A: The body is an orange brown color, and fairly dusty. The soft white head if full and fluffy. Looks nice.

S: Hops notes come out right away. Pine and grapefruit follow with notes of cloveand possibly a little of just baked bread. The hops certainly dominate the scent, but you can pick up the Belgian character behind it all.

T: Certainly some assertive hops, pine and grapefruit with a little bit of earthy spiciness. Sweetness comes up to dance next with some bready notes as well as clove. There is a touch of alcohol in the finish, as well as a fruity flourish carried through by the carbonation.

M: Medium, but on the thicker side of medium. Carbonation is somewhat high, which goes nice with the Belgian character.

O: Overall I really like this brew. The Belgian Character is subtle, but I like what it does, the hops are assertive, but not tongue melting, and the booze is just enough to give you a hint as to what you are getting into.

I had this at the November Baltimore Area BA tasting. Poured from the bottle into a tasting snifter.

Appearance: The beer pours a cloudy amber color with a golden hue. There is a very mild layer of off white head.

Smell: Sweet up front. There is a hint of cooked vegetables that I assume comes from the yeast. Just a touch of fruit with a slight warmth from the alcohol.

Taste: This is a very sweet beer given that it's supposed to be a Belgian IPA. I'm getting some Belgian spice and candy sugar. The bitterness shows up more in the finish with the malt backing it up. There is a hint of cooked veggies here too.

Mouthfeel: The body is just on the syrupy side of medium with light, tingly carbonation and a dry finish.

Overall: I thought this beer was slightly weird. The cooked veggie note wasn't my favorite. I don't think I'd want more in the future.